AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 19, 2012 -- Over the past year, researchers at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT) have been working on a new Air Maintenance Technology application that can aid in fuel savings and CO2 reductions while potentially improving performance and eliminating need for external inflation pressure intervention. The commercial application of Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology will make its debut at the 2012 Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany.

Tire-related costs are the single largest maintenance item for commercial vehicle fleet operators with more than 50 percent of all truck and trailer breakdowns involving a tire in some way[1]. Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology mechanism allows tires to maintain constant, optimum pressure without the use of external pumps, electronics and driver intervention.

Proper tire inflation can result in improved fuel economy, prolonged tread life and optimized tire performance. Customers should receive the following key benefits from Air Maintenance Technology-enabled tires:

Improved Fuel Economy

Optimum tire pressure is key in the commercial market. It is estimated that for every 10 psi lost in tire inflation, there is a one percent[2] loss in miles per gallon.

While one percent may seem insignificant, it could cost a truck owner over $627.00 in fuel, based on a vehicle that has a fuel consumption of 6.6 miles per gallon, runs 100,000 miles a year with a diesel fuel price of $4.10/gallon[3].

Prolonged Tread Life

AMT is expected to play a major role in optimizing tread life in the commercial tire market. Tires which are under inflated by ten percent decrease tread life by 9-16 percent[4]. By utilizing Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology, commercial vehicle fleet operators will be able to realize the full mileage potential of their tires, thus saving money by prolonging the use of their tires.

Optimized Performance

Properly inflated tires are also necessary to keep a vehicle's handling performance at optimal levels. Under-inflation means less evenly distributed pressure on the road. It also reduces the tread area that is in direct contact with the road and can impact the integrity of the tire casing, which is key to the retreading process.

Commercial trucks pose a different challenge for AMT than that of consumer vehicles as their tires are larger, have higher inflation pressures, drive longer distances and carry much heavier loads. Commercial tires operate at a higher air pressure, typically 105 psi for commercial tires vs. 32 psi for consumer tires. This is a much more challenging performance requirement for the pump system. The life of a commercial truck tire is often extended by retreading. The commercial truck AMT system is being designed to perform after the retreading process.

"We believe the Air Maintenance Technology application for commercial vehicle tires will not only enhance the performance of the tire, but will also provide cost savings to fleet owners and operators through the extension of tire tread life and increased fuel economy" stated Goodyear's Chief Technical Officer, Jean-Claude Kihn. "The progress we continue to make with this technology is very encouraging. We look forward to further testing of this concept."
Engineers at Goodyear's Innovation Center in Akron, Ohio, USA are credited with the development of the commercial application of this concept and the supporting technology. Prototype tires have been produced in Goodyear's Topeka manufacturing plant in Kansas, USA, and rigorous validation testing has confirmed that the AMT pumping mechanism works. An extensive fleet trial is planned to gather real-world information from customers in 2013.

A $1.5 million grant from The United States Department of Energy's Office (DOE) of Vehicle Technology is helping speed up research, development and demonstration of the AMT system for commercial vehicle tires. A grant from the Luxembourg government for research and development will continue to help fund Goodyear's efforts in researching and developing the AMT system for consumer tires.

New Goodyear Innovation Could Make Tire Pumps Obsolete
Government Grants to Help Quicken Development

AKRON, Ohio, August 11, 2011 – The days of manually adding air to under-inflated tires could be a distant memory thanks to a new innovation under development in laboratories at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Keeping tires properly inflated doesn't just eliminate the practice of checking a tire's air pressure and finding a tire pump and gauge that works. It also can mean real savings at the fuel pump.

Whether you drive a passenger vehicle or a commercial truck, underinflated tires result in between a 2.5 percent and 3.3 percent decrease in fuel mileage, according to government and industry research. At today's prices, that translates to about 12 cents per gallon at the pump.

Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology (AMT), will enable tires to remain inflated at the optimum pressure without the need for any external pumps or electronics. All components of the AMT system, including the miniaturized pump, will be fully contained within the tire.

"While the technology is complex, the idea behind the AMT system is relatively simple and powered by the tire itself as it rolls down the road," said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear senior vice president and chief technical officer.

"A tire that can maintain its own inflation is something drivers have wanted for many years. Goodyear has taken on this challenge and the progress we have made is very encouraging," said Kihn. "This will become the kind of technological breakthrough that people will wonder how they ever lived without."

Goodyear did not provide an estimate as to when this technology would be available at tire retailers, but said the timetable would be accelerated due to recent government research grants in United States and European Union.

The United States Department of Energy's Office of Vehicle Technology Wednesday announced it has awarded a $1.5 million grant for research, development and demonstration of the AMT system for commercial truck tires. The grant will be administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory and work will be conducted at Goodyear's Innovation Center in Akron, Ohio.

In July, Goodyear successfully applied for a grant from the Luxemburg government for research and development of an AMT system for consumer tires. That work will be conducted at Goodyear's Innovation Center in Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg.

"While similar in concept, there are significant differences in AMT systems for consumer and commercial tires," said Kihn. "The tangible support from both the U.S. and Luxembourg governments underscores the value of these projects and the many positive benefits they can provide drivers around the world."

In addition, The DOE's Office of Vehicle Technology today also announced that it will award a $1.5 million grant for a joint project between PPG Industries and Goodyear to improve the rolling resistance and fuel efficiency of tires. The project's objective is to increase average fuel efficiency of passenger vehicle fleets through use of new tread and inner liner technologies.

"Advanced technologies that are invisible to the human eye – like those we are working on with PPG – will help to dramatically improve fuel efficiency of tires while maintaining other important qualities such as traction and tread-life," said Kihn.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 73,000 people and manufactures its products in 54 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com.